Mexico enters the 2026 World Cup with hopes of making a run at the quarter-finals for the first time in 30 years. Despite the country’s illustrious history with the sport, El Tri have never advanced to the final four. Here’s a full preview of the Mexican national team, including storylines, betting odds, predictions and more.
World Cup History
- 18 appearances
- Best finish: Quarter-final
- FIFA Rank: #15
- 2026 Group: A
Mexico have a long World Cup history, appearing 18 times since 1930 and qualifying for every tournament since 1994. Their best performances came when hosting, reaching the quarterfinals in both 1970 and 1986. Overall, they hold a record of 17 wins, 15 draws, and 28 losses in 60 matches. Recently, Mexico have been consistent qualifiers but less successful, exiting in the group stage at Qatar 2022.
Group Stage Matches
- Mexico vs. South Africa: June 11, 3:00PM ET
- Mexico vs. South Korea: June 18, 9:00PM ET
- Czechia vs. Mexico: June 24, 9:00PM ET
Major Storylines, Predictions
As co-hosts of the 2026 World Cup, Mexico faces immense pressure to break their Round of 16 curse and leverage home-field advantage to reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 1986. Led by veteran coach Javier Aguirre and key striker Raul Jimenez, El Tri is focusing on rebounding from a 2022 group-stage exit and navigating a challenging group featuring South Africa, South Korea, and the Czech Republic.
Soccer Analyst’s Prediction: Mexico advances to the Knockout Stage but loses in the first round.
Mexico 2026 World Cup Squad
Key Players
- Guillero Ochoa | Goalkeeper | AEL Limassol
- Raul Jimenez | Forward | Fulham
- Santiago Gimenez | Forward | AC MIlan
Mexico 2026 World Cup Odds
- To Win The World Cup: +8000
- Projected Top Goalscorer: Raul Jimenez (+250)
- To Win Group A: -115
- To Win All Group Games: +500
- Top North American Team: +140
Find all of the Mexico World Cup 2026 lines on DraftKings Sportsbook!
More World Cup Coverage
Check out our World Cup 2026 landing page for additional content and live, updating group tables as the tournament begins!
